The government is taking steps to establish the accuracy of data related to sugar and ethanol production. The Directorate of Sugar and Vegetable Oils has taken a step forward toward strengthening the ‘Digital India’ initiative through the API integration of ERP/SAP systems of sugar mills with the NSWS portal. This integration will ensure real-time data availability, accuracy, and the elimination of data redundancy. Many sugar mills have begun the API integration, while few have not started developing their API modules. Therefore, the government has directed these mills to develop their API integration and complete the entire integration process in a timely manner. Sugar mills that fail to comply will not be allocated their monthly release quota of sugar from January 2025 onwards.
60 sugar mills, including group sugar mills of 11 groups, have successfully integrated their data systems with NSWS portal and submitted their P-II return for September-2024 through API. Further, about 200 more sugar mills/group sugar mills are developing their API modules and most of these are testing their module in UAT and Pre- Production Environment (PPE) and may complete the testing by the end of October, 2024. Remaining sugar mills have not provided any information about the development of the API module, which is in violation of directions issued by this Directorate under the provisions of Sugar (Control) Order, 1966. Therefore, government directed them to update the status of API integration with NSWS portal through NIC e-form available on this link.
In a communication to sugar mills, the Under Secretary to the Government of India, Sunil Kumar Swarnkar, stated, “Sugar mills having ERP/SAP or other similar softwares must complete their API integration by 20.11.2024 and submit their P-II for October-2024 through API only. Sugar mills operating without any software or with Tally/Excel should procure ERP/SAP or similar software and must complete their API integration by 31.12.2024 and submit their P-II for November-2024 through API.”
The communication states that all the sugar mills are hereby directed to complete their API integration and adhere the timelines, failing which the monthly release quota of sugar from January- 2025 onwards shall not be allocated to the non-compliant sugar mills, under the powers conferred in Sugar (Control) Order, 1966 read with Section 3 of Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
The recently released draft Sugar (Control) Order 2024 also mentions about APIs. Clause 10 of the order pertains to the Power to Call for Information, etc. which states that the Central Government or any person authorised in this behalf by the Central Government may, with a view to securing compliance with this Order, or to satisfy itself that any order or direction issued under this Order is complied with,- (a) require any producer or dealer to furnish within such period or at such intervals as may be specified, such information, returns or reports and in such forms including digital forms, and to integrate their Digital Systems with the Digital system of Central Government through API or any other mode and to allow information sharing of such information already shared with any Government organisation to ensure authenticity of data and compliance, as may be required; and (b) prescribe the manner in which accounts of any sales, purchases or other transactions of sugar and its by products should be kept.
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